


Our last Chance to ever Shine

by Sandentwins



Series: Knight of Fire Breath [6]
Category: Homestuck
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dragons, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-13
Updated: 2014-04-13
Packaged: 2018-01-19 06:41:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,959
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1459687
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sandentwins/pseuds/Sandentwins
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A lost Wave Swirler gifted with an ancient power, a runaway Princess whose fight could bring peace to Alternia and a vagabond whose duty is to save them. What a weird squad, isn't it?<br/>And for some reason, it's up to them to save the last humains...and the whole kingdom while they're at it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Our last Chance to ever Shine

**Author's Note:**

> I love troll!Crabdad so much I will never stop using him from now on. You have been warned.

The purety of the night was overwhelming. Eyes closed, I was breathing the pure air, the wind taking my hair in its arms, drawing goosebumps on my skin. I listened to the owls, to the fangbeasts, to the sound of the Loraf river far beyond the trees. My ears were pointing towards every little noise, as a branch cracking, a bird singing, or at my own breath, which I was trying to keep as silent as possible. Hidden by my dark clothes, I could hear a little nutbeast jumping on the same branch as me, looking for acorns. Just a little closer...closer...now.  
In a swift move, I caught the squirrel in my hand, breaking its neck silently, so that the other animals wouldn't notice me. I looked at my prey; a nice rodent for dinner. I put it in my bag, before jumping down the tree I was on, landing on all fours like a meowbeast, still without a noise. I proceeded to move to another glade, where I would maybe have the chance to catch bigger preys.  
The woods. My favorite playground. Since I was young, and I still am, I had been taught hunting and tracking animals, so I could be useful by bringing some food to my family, whose money was too low to live without hunger. Even if the situation had gotten better within the last decades, poverty was still present due to the Great War between Prospit and Derse. But that would change soon; when I have the required age, I'll join the Blue Swords. Even if their daily life is though, it'd bring enough money for my family to live without starving everyday.  
The night was going to end; my bag on my shoulders, my knife in my pocket, my hood and mask on, I ran back to the village, without much meat but enough for the day. In ten minutes of coursing, I was back to the hovel I was living in. My young sister was already outside, playing in the mud. When she saw me, she came to hug me, asking me what I have brought. The innocence of children. 

"I'm there, Mom!", I called, entering inside, little Muttie's hand in mine, and putting my bag on the table.

My mother was quite old already, but had still enough strength to work in the fields from dawn till dusk. I was admirative of her courage, as she was doing all of that for her three children even if her health wasn't as good as she'd want.

"Roryde...where have you been again?", she asked. "You know I'm worried when you go out without warning."

"-I'm sorry, Mom...but look at what I found!", I said, showing the two nutbeasts I've caught. 

"-You silly...you didn't have to do such a thing."

She took the two squirrels, already thinking about how we could prepare them. In a corner of the house, Friggy was yawning, waking up after a short night. Poor boy, so young but already workin' in the farms to feed the family. Poverty leads indeed to such extremes.  
If only a peasant such as I would try to change it.  
Our meal was silent as usual, as we couldn't afford to waste time on talking. Once our piece of morning bread consumed, Friggy went to pack his and Mom's stuff for the day, as they wouldn't come back home till sunset. Muttie was working with older children, picking up wood or serving dishes at the tavern. And I was going from daily job to daily job, as no one really liked my rebel mind.  
That morning, before heading to the northern farms, Mom took a second to tell me something strange.

"Roryde, my child...you have to save them. It's your duty."

She always had these kinds of weird predictions that would sometimes be right...but that one left me clueless. I couldn't have any other words afterwards; she was already gone.  
Guess I'd better go as well. The day might be very long.

\---

Run. Swim. Fly. Anyhow. Get away.  
They are coming. Faster than what I have calculated. But they won't have me. Not this time.  
After many and many attempts to escape, I have come to know perfectly the lands around my hive. Well, if it is still my hive. More like a prison. A golden cage with the size of a castle.  
Transform. Without clothes it's easier to run. Run away through trees. Jump in the river. Disappear.  
Now all I've got to do is hope _she_ won't find me anymore.

\---

My feet touch the water, which goes all back and forth on the warm sand. They are webbed; a premiere in my family. I tap them on the surface to make some splashes, sprinkling my face with droplets of ocean. The weather was quite nice today, as winter had wrapped up not long ago. Some feet away, my sister and my cousin were building sandcastles, playing under the vigilance of my grandmother. Aged thirty sweeps only, Tinkie had two children from a Wave Swirler; and of course, this had shocked many other dragons around. But my family had accepted it, due to a special bond they had with an underwater tribe, something about two lovers that had happened sweeps and sweeps ago, when Tinkie was just a grub. And today, their efforts have been rewarded: the first "real" Wave Swirler of her clan was born: his name was Kanira, teenage white-haired dragon with pincer-like horns, and he was currently splashing himself like a grub. But not only that: I have been told that my white hair was due to a very rare condition that happens only once in centuries, and that I have inherited from my grandmother. Dragons born with it are called _Lusae_ and have got very special powers. I didn't have any idea of mine, though.  
A seabass just happened to catch my eye; in the lapse of time needed to jump into the water, catch it in my jaws and bring it up to let it suffocate on the hot sand, I had cooked an excellent dinner. The two little children came to see, and I shared my catch with them. Kanoka, my younger sister, and Serose, my cousin, were both Sky Riders. They were naturally curious about my gills and lack of wings while they couldn't swim themselves, but have got along with it as sweeps spent playing together went by.

"Now watch out, its bones can hurt.", I advised to the kids who were already feeling the fish's flesh in their mouths. 

I have been raised by my Sky Riders family, so I could eat land meat, but sometimes fish was just...that appealing. I have been taught fishing and swimming by my Wave Swirler ascendants, who have apprently feared I had too much earthly blood in my veins to breathe water. A strange earth-sea blood, as red as the crabs. A color we haven't seen since the tragic death of Karkat and his two siblings, in unknown circumstances; probably the Sky Dwellers were implicated in it. Talking about loss, we have seen quite much lately: Copper, Kankri, the little Meulin, some Wave Swirler cousins, Serose's parents, my own father, and I think it was all. Add the _"masan"_ yourselves, that term is getting old now. Live with your time, bros and sis. But the fact is that, there have been a lot of dragon raids recently. Powerful clans have been shredded to nothing because of these sudden decisions from the highest authority: the Emperess. Don't ask me why, I don't know much about it as I avoid the outside world in general. Y'know, hybridness and rejection.

"Hey, Kanira, there's another one there!", Kanoka pointed.

Indeed. I jumped into the salty water, took my draconic form to swim faster, and tried to catch the fish as it was escaping. I followed it quite deep, but that was worth the catch, as a fat tuna could be the whole family's dinner. And I wasn't the type to give up easily. I swam between the rocks covered in algae, the corals and the starfishes, diving to get my meal. Afterall, these were Kanoka's favorite.  
By the time I had caught the fish, I was pretty deep in the reefs. The water was colder than what I was used to, and all the light was filtered by the upper corals. I blinked, trying to see where I was going. This part of the sea was unknown to me. As I was trying to find my way back to Losaz, my body temperature was lowering in a matter of minutes. I let go of the tuna, as I realized I was lost in the reefs. No dragons or intelligent creatures were living here. My light shirt couldn't retain my corporal heat; I sat down on a rock and curled up on myself, as to save energy. I wasn't used to such low temperatures. I wondered if anyone had noticed my absence. I wondered if I could ever find my way back, where I couldn't see or hear anything.  
In fact, I was hearing something. Something swimming, too big for a fish.  
Using my hands to feel the rocks around me, I followed the noise, in total darkness, until the light finally allowed me to see a Wave Swirler with purplish scales, devouring the fish I've caught earlier. I swam closer, silently, and that's when she turned around, surprised.  
Damn, she was so pretty with these pink eyes.  
She swam away, scared, and I naturally went after her, telling her not to be afraid. But she didn't listen, and went up, zigzaging through the corals. That's when I saw the surface, and rose up to finally have a breath of fresh air. Hey, where was the beach gone? I looked around, but no trace of the land; the ocean fog was hiding it. Mabe this pink dragon could help me? Diving again, I tried to find her, but she was gone. No Wave Swirlers were living there, so what was she-

"Gotcha!"

In a blink, webbed paws clenched around my throat, so suddenly that I choked. She shook my neck so hard I though it'd break. But my breathing wasn't affected; my lungs were blocked, not my gills. By the time she had realized her error, I had already escaped her grip.

"What do you want to me?", I questioned

"-Same here!", she angrily replied. "Why did you have to disturb me while I was eating? Now I've lost my food."

"-I was lost and trying to find my way home. Plus, there are plenty of fishes around."

"-They keep swimming away when I try to eat them."

I put on my stunned face. Was that girl stupid or did she really never learnt to hunt?

"That's cause you're doing it wrong. Watch."

In less than ten seconds, I was back with a chubby codfish I gave her. She looked even more surprised than she already was.

"That's how you get them?"

"-Haven't you hunted before?"

"-Well...I'm not the kind to go fish my food myself."

And it was true: with her clean fuschia scales and delicate webs, she seemed like she came from another world.

"Yeah...anyways, do you know what path you've taken to get there?"

"-No...not quite."

I sighed. 

"Well, let's try to find our way to the continent before it gets dark. I have promised a tuna to my sister."

"-As you wish...what's your name?"

"-Kanira from the Vantas clan."

"-Fefire from the Peixes dynasty."

My jaw dropped so much it maybe touched the abyss. This girl was a _fucking princess!_ So many questions came through my head, but she stopped them with a hand gesture.

"Don't tell anyone, but I ran away from my hive. Family reasons."

I stayed silent, following her as she swam right under the surface. Fefire Peixes, the heiress of Alternia. That's not the kind of encounter you do everyday. She suddenly handed me half of the codfish, but I hadn't accepted it without some hesitation. I had a look at her; she had thorns on her elbows and ankles, probably filled with venom, and some scales on her forehead forming the shape of a crown. Royal dragons aren't like any other races, as I've heard from Condensia's legend.  
And that one wasn't like any other dragon I've ever met. She way, waaayyy cuter. 

"So...how's the weather?", I awkwardly asked.

"-Sunny but foggy."

Oh. Well. We kept swimming northway, without saying much more words. I had the time to examinate her closely: some scratches and bruises were revealing a previous fight, or a long course. Or maybe both.

"Hey, hadn't the taste of the water changed?", she suddenly asked.

Indeed. The saltiness has been replaced with soft, slightly polluted water. I turned into a sea troll, and rose up: we were at Lodag's delta, with Derse in the horizon line.

"Take your troll appearance and follow me.", I said. "We'll find our way back home."

"-For you, not for me. But any place is better than mine."

\---

"What do you mean, you can't get me bread? You just did to that guy before me!"

"-I'm sorry, Roryde, but you already owe me the previous month of bread I've got you. I can't do anything unless you pay for all of it."

My fist hit the counter, angered by this situation. I had two siblings and a mother to feed, this won't be this fucker who'll tell me I couldn't!

"People are dying of hunger as soldiers eat all our crops, and you _dare_ making your money outta their misery! How can you even stand to live like this?"

"-Well, I've indeed got to live, and the price is the same for everyone. Look, I've been kind enough to you to forget your debt, but that has been for too long; if you come here again without what to pay me with, I'm calling the Blue Swords."

A growl arose from my throat. Of course, he was right, but this still felt like injustice. I even smelt some corruption under this.

"You may be powerful now", I threatened, "but this is about to change. Sooner than you expect."

"-In the meanwhile, let me expect some money instead.", he laughed.

I put my blue hood up and went away, after having tried to bring something home to eat, to no avail. The day has been spent working as a shoeshiner, but rare were people who still had shoes in Derse. Guess I'd have to hunt before the night falls. Walking between the market stands, I wondered if we could even last for another month without any stable income.

"Hey, Roryde, care for some burnin' water?", a familiar voice suddenly called.

Poor children get along, as we say here in Derse. In a corner hidden behind the old warehouse, they were meeting to occasionally share the few they had. And the oldest of the band would always bring some liquor stolen from the tavern where his mother was working. He handed me a cup of hot vine as I sat with other defavorised teens, who were already smelling like the alcohol filling their veins.  
Drinking was giving me the strenght to keep living my shitty life. I had first started after my father had died sweeps ago. He was a soldier, and never returned from the battlefield. Of course, my mother wasn't aware of this addiction, as she feared it would made me unable to ever find work. But I couldn't help it; I needed this to stay alive. Sometimes it would help me to escape this reality where everyone was poor and miserable.  
The only inconvenient was that I had a lot of hallucinations whenever I'd drink too much. Colors and shapes were changing, the ground twisting under my bare feet, my vision blurrying. Good thing, I knew the path by heart. I followed the river, trying to get my senses back, my head hurting after half a bottle of strong liquor (only I in the group had the guts to swallow all of that). I tried to fight the blur, to no use. That's when my foot tripped over a root I haven't seen, and I rolled down the riverside to fell in the water.  
I could swim, but my muscles were limp. Some water entered my mouth, and I choked on it. I tried to move my arms, stay head out of the water, but I still couldn't see anything nor try to swim. My body felt heavy, so heavy. I was too tired, to drunk to try resisting gravity.  
_Muttie. Friggy. Mother. I'm...sorry._  
That's the last thought I had before dying-  
I suddenly felt myself floating. The riverside was coming closer, but I wasn't moving at all. I realized there was something... _someone_ pushing me. My back felt the grass, my chest suddenly pressured violently. I had enough conscient left to distinguish a figure above me, trying to get that water out of my lungs. I coughed, and tried to push it away, but it held my arm. I heard a voice...two voices, a female and a male one. I didn't understand what they were saying, cause the second after, I had passed out.

\---

"Are you always trying to save drunkards from drowning?", she asked ironically.

"-Better a world of drunkards than Blue Swords.", I answered, trying to wake up the young troll. 

I've seen him fell into the river after a stumbling walk, and as he was too knocked out to swim and as Fefire and I were near, I had to help him. Afterall, he won't know we're dragons if we hide our fins. Blue Hoodie suddenly coughed, and fluttered his eyes open. 

"Wh...what...what happened?", he asked.

His horns were small, in the shape of a cat's ears. A dark blue facemask was covering his eyes, like for these robbers in troll stories. His symbol was a rust-coloured cat face.

"You're safe.", I answered. "Who are you and where do you live?"

"-And why would you jump into the river if you can't swim?", Fefire asked. 

He coughed some more water, shaking his messy hair to get it dry. Fefire gasped in disgust when water drops hit her clothing.

"I'm...Roryde Lalone, from Derse...I wasn't in a normal state, and I think I got messed up..."

"-I can smell that.", she ironised.

"-Well, Roryde, now you're out of there, you can go home now...can you?"

He hesitated, his face turning reddish from the cold bath.

"D'nno...don't wanna mother to see me...'ike this..."

"-It's fine.", Fefire growled impatiently. "Well, we gotta go, so-"

"-I'm not letting him alone."

I handed a shoulder to the troll, who relied upon it.

"We'll take you back to Derse, it's not too far from there. We could buy something to eat on our way.", I added for the Princess, who seemed suddenly less grumpy. 

Carrying Roryde with us, we made our way through the trees, walking slowly to the obsidian town. I had seldom come here, as I had troubles with keeping my troll form for long, but I knew the main places of the village. Fefire, Roryde and I entered a tavern, and sat quite away from other people. I hadn't any money, but she paid some drinks for the three of us with one of her diamonds (y'know, princesses have no pocket change). I took a sip of my grub juice, looking around me. As I've expected, people were staring at us; afterall, a princess, a white-haired troll and a drunken vagabond were quite the trio you'd never expect to meet anywhere.

"So...", Fefire asked between two bites of icecream. "What are we going to do, exactly?"

"-D'nno.", Roryde replied, only a little dizzy now. "I've gotta get back home...but you guys are cool and I ain't got no work to do right now, so...yeah."

He blew some bubbles in his juice, like a kid. By a quick glance at his horns' size and eye colour, I estimated he wasn't an adult nor a child anymore, probably around seven sweeps old.

"I though you had a destination or something.", I said to Fefire. "Haven't you got anyplace to go?"

"-In fact...I've heard about this place called the Meteor, and thought that-"

"-Hey, what century do you come from?", I cut. "It has been destroyed dozens of sweeps ago!"

She suddenly seemed shocked, and let her spoon drop in the cream.

"Are...are you sure?", she stuttered.

"-My granduncle was there. He saw it being wrecked by the Sky Dwellers, and even..."

I stopped. I didn't want to tell it was his fault if many homeless dragons have lost their only refuge on that day. This point was the only shameful one left from Famber's legacy. 

"...well, it doesn't exist anymore. I'm sorry."

She disappointingly pushed her ice cream away, and sighed. 

"Does it mean...I'm definitely hiveless?", she asked.

"-I'm sure you won't have any troubles getting a bed in the whole town, aren't you?"

"-You forget that I have my mother's spies on my tail. Thay're everywhere. I can't even tell you we're safe in this place."

Quick glance around our table. More people were staring, some whispering. I felt my spine shiver; my fins had appeared under my clothes, as every time I was nervous. Hope no one would notice. I leaned in closer. 

"We have to go.", I whispered.

Roryde looked at me funny, having taken a raid over Fefire's abandoned cup of ice cream.

"Go? But where?", he asked.

"-Anywhere that isn't full of so-pretended spies."

I got up, taking Roryde's hand in mine ("If you forget that fucking dessert you'll have a lot more later."). Around us, there was movement, as some guys were also standing up, pretenting to go to the bar; they all had a blue scarf, kerchief or gloves, symbol of big troubles. I looked at Fefire; she nodded. Slowly, we walked to the entrance of the tavern, my fins shaking nervouslier.

"Run."

We ran.  
They ran after us.

"That was your plan!?", she asked, thorns sticking out already.

"-You got better, Princess?", I replied.

"-Would you tell me what's fucking going on?", Roryde growled.

"-Nothing much..just casually trying to _get outta here!_ "

We turned at the street corner, and ended up on the marketplace. There were a lot of crowd here; we could hide, but that was slowing down our running. 

"Do we even have an objective?", Roryde asked.

I tried to think about a plan. Anything. If they catch us, Fefire would get in trouble, they would use me as a weapon carrier, and Roryde certainly had problems with justice as well. The noise of featherbeasts suddenly became heard. Along it, the shouts of confused people we had to push away in order to flee, and those chasing us... and the sound of the river.

"Roryde, you know how to swim?"

"-Barely."

"-Then hold on, cause it's time to _swirl on the waves!_ "

At this signal, Fefire and I took our dragon forms under the troll's astounished eyes. Taking him on my back, we ran as fast as possible on our webbed paws, still followed by our pursuers, until Lodag came in sight's range.

"They're here", the Blue Swords called.

"-Now, guys!"

My back fins unfolded like wings, and the two dragons jumped into the dark blue water. I felt Roryde grab at my neck, afraid to fall off. Following the current, we swam away from the featherbeasts scared of water, just going up every thirty seconds so the troll could breathe. When I was sure they hadn't found us, I gave the signal to come up. We sat on the riverside, quite shaken and wet from the improvised dive. We looked at each other, scared...before laughing like kids. This run has given me some adrenaline, and I was ready to go again. But before, I tried to sum up the situation.

"We have been seen in company of the princess...wherever we'll go, they'll think we're her accomplices."

"-Wait...", Roryde started, "...what's that 'we'? I don't have anything to do in your...things!"

He was looking at me half-scared half-curious.

"You're...dragons? Like in the myths of Suffirer and Demoness and Safire?"

I nodded, quite embarassed by the sudden excited sparkle in his eyes. 

"That means you can...fly, and breathe fire, and turn into trees?"

"-Whoa there friend, you might need to slow down.", Fefire said.

"-In fact", I corrected, "we're aquatic dragons. We can't fly but we're good swimmers."

He seemed disappointed, but still amazed. Suddenly his ears flapped up.

"Did you just tell that girl was a _princess?_ "

"-Forget what I said about slowing down."

"-In fact, she is the heiress of Alternia, and you should tell no one about this."

Fefire slapped me slightly.

"So why did you tell him everything?"

"-That's fine...I can keep a secret."

"-But if they ever see you again, they'll force you to talk, and we'll be in trouble."

"-I won't, I promise."

"-What if they pressure you?", she insisted. "You have family, or friends, right? If they get any information about me or Kajira, I'll be in trouble."

"-Kanira. That's my name by the way, and she's Fefire.", I added for Roryde. "And why should they know about me? I'm even not their main target."

"-You'll be if you are my guide."

My jaw dropped on that sentence.

"What...why?"

"-You know Alternia better than I do."

"-It's your kingdom! You should at least-"

"-It's my mother's for now. And don't tell me you don't want, as I'm sure that you don't want to be enslaved like your people."

"-Cut out the chatter, gals.", Roryde sighed, chewing on a piece of grass. "That ain't leadin' us anywhere. The Blues will come if we stay here talkin' shit and doing nothing."

He stood up.

"We can't go back to Derse, and Prospit is outta reach for now. I don't know where we are actually, but the night's falling and I still hadn't hunted for dinner. What are we gonna do?"

I couldn't believe than despite his shortiness he was more reasonable than Fefire and I. Looking around the place, I tried to locate the Lolcat mountains. 

"I didn't want to get out of my prison to become a vagabond.", Fefire stated. "I need a warm bed."

"-Ain't here you're gonna find one.", the troll joked. "Here, only moss and grass are comfortable enough for your royal butt."

"-I beg your pardon?"

"-Oh, so now you beg, after _we_ have begged you for help, or at least enough stable work to pay the bread we have to fight for everyday!"

"-Hey, are you saying it's my fault if the whole kingdom is starving? From my prison, I can't do much to stop my mother from being tyrannical."

"-You can at least take off these diamonds in presence of commoners. No doubt they all wanna catch you and get a reward."

"-Look, I'm sorry, but this isn't the time to-"

"-It's always the time! All the time, people are dying from what _you_ do, working hard till they die out of exhaustion for _your_ sake, and you still _dare_ complaining about how much you _need_ a warm bed for your royal fat ass!?"

"-Will you fucking just SHUT THE FUCK UP!?", I yelled. "I can't concentrate with you behind!"

That calmed them down for a moment. The spring evening had already fallen over the hills, and the first moonrays were reflecting on the shallow river. I tried to think about a nearby place where we could all settle for the night before finding a plan for the next day.

"There are some woods around the river, we could still try to make a fortune shelter.", I thought out loud.

"-You want me to sleep in a tree?", Fefire asked, shocked.

"-I think Roryde's right. The wild life isn't made for a princess who ignores the hard reality of surviving in the below world."

I looked around us. No sign of the troll.

"...where is he, anyways?"

"-I don't know, he was there a second ago."

"-Hope he's alright...what if the Blues caught him?"

"-They'd have gotten us too...I think he just ran away. That bastard."

"-Who you're callin' bastard?"

She jumped in fear at the voice behing her. Roryde had appeared out of nowhere, some squirrels and rats in each hand.

"I'm gettin' your dinner and you insult me? Very nice of ya."

"-Stop the quarrel and help me, would you?", I asked, pointing to the trees. "Ain't our beds gonna make themselves."

\---

I hate the way they stare at me as if I was a monster. Among these grey skins and golden horns, that's how I feel. I'm in my cage, alone, naked and exposed to their regards. They all have blue and purple eyes, some with fins on their cheeks, and they watch me like they'd watch a genetic anomaly from a freak show. I was told not to cry, else I wouldn't get any food, and I've been hungry for days. My ribs are showing under my pale skin. I hear in my head the warnings of that woman in pink:

"Don't say a word. If you ever try to escape or talk to my clients, the other one gets the whip."

The other one. I had a male counterpart in this prison, and he was kept away from me in every circumstances. I only have seen him once when I had first arrived here. Despite the fear of that moment, his golden eyes were filled with hope. He had smiled at me, and winked right before we got separated. Since, his smile has been helping me to stay alive. Maybe someday, to get more money from curious trolls, they'll put us in a cage together and order us to reprod- aaugh, why did I think of that? I'm sure my cheeks are totally red, now. We're not animals, afterall! We're just...not like the others. That's why I got caught and shown to rich clients.  
I try to think about something else than their fish eyes on me. My home, Gaierta, comes to my mind. The creeks and mountains of Lopan, its bubbly sky, the friends I met there. Contrary to my counterpart, I wasn't born in this prison, but in one of the last corners of Gaierta where there were still tribes of my kind. My family lived there...before dragons came and destroyed my home. They have spared me as I was just a kid, saying they needed a female for the male they already had. But I don't know why I hadn't got the right to meet him or even talk to him. I don't even know his name. In the meantime, I have tried to keep on living, even if I sometimes have felt empty inside. What's the use of luving when everyone considers you as a trophy, a freak, a reject?  
_Someone, please help me._

\---

Under the branches held in place by magic ice, around the small fireplace we obtained with stones and twigs, the rodents slowly cooking, the dragons and I were havin' some nice time. I was watching the squirrels between the embers, moving them with a twig from time to time. My eyes were still sleepy, just as the two creatures talking before me. They have told me all about Wave Swirlers on our way there: their powers, their clans, and how they had gotten there. Tomorrow, they'd head to the Lolcat mountains where lives Kanira's family, and where Royal Butt could hide for a moment. I didn't have any idea, except going back to Derse and my normal life...but the Blues were waiting for me there. I hadn't any friends, any family out of the dark town. I hadn't any idea of where I'd go. I've maybe even lost my family by the hands of the Blues.  
_You got to save them. It's your duty._

"You okay, little guy?", Kanira asked.

I raised my head, and saw how worried he seemed. 

"That's fine...I was just lost in thoughts."

"-You're gonna be safe with us. I'll never let anyone harm your little face."

"-It ain't little."

We chuckled. Then the only sounds heard were the fire cracking and the nightbirds, along with Royal Butt's snores. As our meal was getting ready, I tried to figure out what would happen of us.  
_You got to save them. It's your duty._

'What did you mean, Mom?', I thought. 

Save them...the dragons? How could they need to be safe, if they are able to survive? Well, maybe not Royal Butt, but at least Kanira would have made a good hunt partner. This boy was fascinating. He always had something to cheer up people even when every hope was lost, and if we was slightly too much of a daydreamer, he had led us out of the mud for now. And maybe because our blood colors were similar, he seemed more friendly than all the people I've met. 

"You got a family?", I asked.

"-I'm from a very ancient clan.", he said smiling. "It has been founded..."

He counted on his webbed fingers. Even his hands were strange.

"...six generations ago, so I think it's about a hundred of sweeps ago." 

"-Whoah. Your ancestors have maybe seen the legendary dragons, like Pyralspite or Dualswirl?"

"-I've heard of Pyralspite but who the fuck is Dualswirl?"

I chuckled. 

"I dunno either."

"-Anyways, it's maybe true. Part of my ancestry belongs to a Wave Swirlers' clan."

Seeing my questioning face, he explained the different races of dragons to me, while we'd eat our rodents. As I wanted to know more, he used a burnt twig to draw several dragons, telling their story and how they used to rule over Alternia, Gaierta and the Black Zone (I knew what was the first one, but the two others left me clueless). From what I've learnt, they have been hunted for millenias like I hunt squirrels...except that I use them as food, not as weapons or trophies. This made me think about how it had to be hard, living in fear of hunters and Blue Swords, or even Sky Dwellers, these terrible air pirates.  
I curled up under his wing-like fins, as I was starting to yawn. I took off my mask and set it aside, and closed my eyes, lulled by Kanira's slow breathing.  
_You got to save them. It's your duty._  
Everything was fine. Everything was going to be okay.

\---

"Nothing's gonna be okay.", Kanira wailed.

"-Well at least, we have tried.", Shorty replied.

"-Cut it off, please.", I sighed. "This isn't leading us anywhere."

At the break of day, we have disappeared from the place, heading to the Lolcat mountains where I would find a temporary home. We have tried to walk away from usual paths, so our pursuers wouldn't find us, but it failed. They had their barkbeasts, and the diamonds I paid our drinks with (as I wanted to get rid of this useless jewelry). Within the next hours, they had found us, chained me and put Shorty and Kanira in a cage. We have fought back, tried to escape, but they had taken more soldiers. And now we were heading to the middle of Lodag.

"This is the fourth time in a sweep she catches me back.", I thought. 

The waterbeast we whad been thrown on suddenly dived in the blue sea. Shorty freaked out, fearing they wanted to drown us, but nothing happened; above this place of the ocean, there wasn't anything to fear about drowning. The soldiers led the whale even deeper, to the glowing giant glass bubble.  
A perfect place to host the castle of the Emperess. Filled with breathable air, it was several miles wide and high. The dark and pink castle was piercing through the underwater air like a trident, this horrendous symbol. The best prison ever imagined.  
That's where _they_ are.  
We swam through the magic bubble, floating in the modified air, and the beast landed in one of the huge gardens. The Sea Dwellers ordered us to get down, and pushed us in.

"Kanny...I'm scared...", Shorty whined.

"-You'll be fine, promise...I promise.", the Wave Swirler replied, holding his hand. 

Damn, how could they get all friendly when it wasn't the time!  
We kept walking through countless corridors and rooms, the heavy chains making their awful metallic noises. Walls were painted all fuschia, gold and black, covered in expensive paintings and several trophies. When Kanira saw the dragon pelts, he shivered. That's what he was about to become. Finally, after a long and difficult walk, we arrived in a dark, huge room, smelling like sulphur and burnt coal.  
_No. Everything but her!_

"What's going on?", Shorty asked.

The soldiers left the room, and locked it from outside. I tried to get rid of my manacles, but they were too tight on my wrists. In the hot darkness, a figure was moving. Coming. Kanira tried to freeze the iron chains, but they were too solid. I knew that escaping would soon be useless, thus trying everything I had to set ourselves free, but in vain; she woke up. The torchwood suddenly lit up by itself, revealing her gigantic body.  
Considering that dragons grow up permanently even when adults, a dragon of a thousand sweeps old would be freaking huge. Her wings were useless mats laying on her flanks, her skull to heavy to be carried, her heartbeat too slow for any action needing speed. Kanira and Shorty opened amazing eyes: Condensia, the legendary dragon of the Emperess.

"It has been such a long time...", she ironically stated. "Such a long time since I've last seen you, dear daughter of mine."

"-That might even be the last time you ever see me...Meenah-masan.", I replied with the same tone. 

She tried to stand up, but her limbs couldn't lift her anymore. Instead, she transformed. The two boys couldn't hold back a gasp seeing the Emperess herself, in the middle of this cell.

"I don't think so, you ungrateful child. Do you have a single idea of what I went through only to raise you? If you have any respect for me, you'll obey to my orders."

"-I won't obey one who orders me to commit murders against my will."

She walked towards me, and pushed me. The chains' weight made me fall. She then looked at Kanira and Shorty.

"If there's any dragons I wouldn't cull, it's indeed the Wave Swirlers. The supremacy of the ocean applies to lizards as well. But that one...he's white-haired, certainly a _Lusae_ kind. They have powers I need to have on my side. Hope you like pulling carriages, freak."

She pushed him as well. My arms too heavy to move, I watched her as she had a look on the troll.

"Rust blood, the worse of them all. And you dare to put your filthy animal feet there? You'll be a great pet, though. I don't want my precious source of cash to get crazy from isolation."

She suddenly clapped her hands, and guards entered, taking each of us separately as she was giving orders. My and Kanira's eyes crossed.  
His' were full of tears.

"Never try to defy moe again. Else, everything you've known will be shredded forever."

\---

My back hit the hard ground as they threw me in a sort of dark cell, closing the door behind, leaving me in total darkness. I whined of pain, waiting for it to go away. Trying to sit up, I looked around, my night hunter eyes starting to wake up. The smell was strange in this piece, something like sweat. All of a sudden, a noise became heard. Paws sounds. A slight, scared breathing. I wasn't alone.  
I tiptoed slowly towards the noise, trying to identify the creature. It was too big to be a cat, and too small to be a dragon. I heard crying; another troll, maybe?

"Is...anyone here?", I asked. 

The crying got louder. I walked towards it, but I met barrels, with another cell behind. I distinguished a figure, a little taller than me.

"I won't hurt you, I promise...here, are you hungry?"

I always had some nuts or berries in my pocket, that I was using as baits for animals, as I was allergic to small fruits. I handed some strawberries to the critter, who came sniffing my hand. I felt hesitant fingers running on the bars to find mine, and after taking the fruit, wrapping around my hand. Not as a threat, but rather...nicely. in the almost-total darkness, I could now see the pale hand on mine, the thin arm relied to it, and soon the rest of the body. I stayed astonished by what was in front of me: pink eyes, fair hair, no horns at all, skin everything but grey. I fought the tentation to ask "What are you?", but rather:

"What's your name?"

The creature seemed hesitant, just running a finger across my palm, like if questioning my very existence. Maybe it couldn't talk? If you keep a troll in total isolation, it could be muted forever-

"Roxy."

A female voice had come out of nowhere, and I needed a second to realize it was the creature. 

"You...can speak my language?", I asked.

"-It's you who speaks mine. Why are you there?"

"-I dunno...we were trying to run away with Royal Bu- I mean the Princess, but we got caught, and now I'm in a cage right next to yours."

"-True. Wait a second, could you?"

She left me there, but I hadn't the time to ask anything. I heard a door open, and suddenly the creature was clinging to me.

"Whoah, hey...how'd you did that?"

She was busy running her hands around my body, as she certainly couldn't see in the dark, making amazed sounds whenever she met something interesting; my face, my horns, my limbs, she touched everything, as to identify me.

"It's simple. I've got the key to this cell, but I can't use it."

"-But you just did, rig- please don't!"

One second more and she was squeezing my horns like a child.

"That's not the same. If I escape, I'll be lost in the middle of the ocean without anywhere to go. Plus...I don't want him to stay alone, or worse, be punished because of me."

"-Who's the 'him'?"

She sighed, and stopped to feel me (that felt kinda nice, though). 

"I've got a male counterpart in this prison. Together, we may be the last of the humans."

Humans. The legendary species that lived in Gaierta way ago. Hornless, with only one blood color, they had been hunted even more than dragons within the last millenias. If Roxy and her companion were the last of her kind, then they couldn't dystay here.

"Listen. You gotta get outta here, I gotta get outta here. I think I've got a plan, but you'll have to listen carefully to what I say. Oh, and take my shirt, you wouldn't want to die from the cold. I'm Roryde, by the way."

She nodded, smiling. I suddenly realized that someone was right all along.  
_You got to save them. It's your duty._

\---

I tried to escape the hands of the costumers who wanted me to put on this horrible suit. But whoever dares to challenge the Emperess must be properly clad, even against their will. Since I was old enough, my mother wanted me to fight her in a royal death duel. The rules said that whoever wins the fight gets to be the new ruler of Alternia, even though I didn't want to reign over this kingdom of desperation...and certainly not by violence. But I was her only heiress, and she had outlived all her lovers. I didn't have the choice but to fight her and risk my life for a throne I despise.  
I felt so tight in the black leather uniform with the Pisces sign. But rules were rules, and I couldn't protest. They gave me the double trident, my only weapon in this madness. It was heavy in my hands, and I could barely lift it, but this was that or my fists. Transformations of any kind were forbidden by a magical spell all around the arena. I was going to die a stupid death and that was all my fault. Kanira would never forgive me for giving up so easily.  
Kanira... As I came thinking about him, I thought about how he had helped us since we met. He was like the last hope you never expect to come, and knew how to stay strong in any kind. And I had to admit, he was kind of pretty. I thought about him, about how he'd burst up with a plan to save us all from a certain death. He had to.  
I believe in him, that's all he needs.  
They pushed me into the vast fighting terrain, which seats were already full of crowd. I felt ashamed to be shown like this in front of so many people. I clinged to the trident, creeping it behind me, waiting for the fight to begin. That's when I heard the trumpets, and saw her make a glorious entrance.  
The fate of Alternia was in my hands now. Kanira, you'll be proud of me.  
I lifted up my weapon, ready to strike. 

\---

They chained me to that horrendous old-style carriage, and forced me to pull it. What a disgrace, what a shame, what a dishonor! Never, ever again I'll try to save a princess. Good think I could take my dragon form, but the task was still hard. I had to take these people to some abyssal part of Lodag, then come back with other ones. They could easily go there by swimming, but their noble asses wanted absolutely a _Lusae_ to carry them there. Last time I ever help bluebloods. I thought about Roryde, Fefire, and my family. I thought about where this pseudo-adventure had led us; I was nothing more than a horse, Fefire was forced to fight her mother, and Roryde to...what did she need him for, anyways? She talked about a 'pet for her cash source'...  
The carriage suddenly hit a rock, as I didn't pay attention. I felt a whip on my thighs, and the pain turned me into a troll. I heard the angered voices of the trolls, complaining about how I was useless and shall be turned into Lusus food. Enough. I wasn't gonna stay here and obey as my friends are in danger!  
Taking back my dragon form, I swam as fas as possible between the abyssal rocks. They screamed of fear, but I didn't care, and kept accelerating, hitting the vehicle as much as possible with the underwater stones. Taking a tight curl, I crushed it against a reef, and it broke into pieces. Its occupants seemed intact, trying to swim up. I got rid of my reins and chains, and hastily swam back to the bubble, hoping it wouldn't be too late.  
Ain't no one gonna try to stop me. When my friends are in danger, I could do anything for them.

\---

Walking through the dungeon, I tried to find the male human. Holding my hand, Roxy was following me hesitantly, in the middle of the prisoners' wails, opening needed doors with the key around her neck. Mental chains were more efficient than physical ones, and when I have told her I was going to take her friend with us as well, she has agreed to follow me everywhere I'd need to go. But neither of us had an idea about where the Emperess was keeping the male human. 

"The dungeon stops there.", Roxy warned. "Out there is the rest of the castle, and I don't know what's there."

"-So let's try to be adventurous."

She opened the door, putting on the blue hood I gave her. Gotta try to find some clothes before escaping, as she wouldn't survive the cold. If we ever escape.  
The staircases were desert. Slowly, we walked up, watching for any danger. Nobody at all. Curious, I thought a palace would be full of running servants or guards? Well at least we could move easily. 

"Where are the Emperess' chambers?", I asked.

"-I don't have any clue...but maybe upstairs."

As we were climbing up, I heard what was mesmerizing everyone in this place: outside, a fight was taking place. People were cheering and applausing, and two trolls were fighting. Among them was Royal Butt.

"Let's speed up."

We ran upstairs, after spending a long time trying to find these stairs. Following the countless doors in the labyrinth of corridors, watching for danger at any corner, we came to the highest level of the underwater castle.

"Now, where should we go?", I asked.

Suddenly, Roxy rose her head.

"Did you hear that?"

"-Hear...what?"

"-This."

My ears moved slightly, trying to find what she was talking about, but the human started running away. I followed her to a gigantic door, covered in gold and rubies.

"I can hear him. I'm sure he's here!" 

Her key didn't work on the door when she tried it. I tried to find anything that'd be of use, but she attempted to slam it open with her shoulders before I could do anything. 

"It's no use, it's too solid.", I calmed her down. "I'm sure there's a way to solve that."

Now I was hearing it. A low, deep crying sound, that made me shiver. Roxy put her hand on the door, like if trying to reach him with her mind. A tear trickled down her cheek as she started sobbing. 

"No...don't cry, please...", I muttered as I cuddled her. "We'll get through, and we'll save your race. Promise." 

I smiled to her, as to reassure this cute scared face. 

"And afterall...you and I are-"

A horrendous crashing noise thundered from the other side of the room, followed by a scream and pain shouts. The doorknobs moved, and Kanira opened the door.

"Hi guys."

Seeing the large hole in the ceiling and the many bruises he had, he had apparently fallen through the roof. I asked him what the fuck had just happened.

"I forgot that I couldn't swim in air...so, yeah."

Roxy ran to the middle of the huge, stinky rich bedroom, looking in all the corners, as Kanira stayed interrogative.

"Trying to save the last humans.", I summarized.

"-Oh."

The crying had stopped, but Roxy was still all ears to any noise. She flipped every piece of furniture, opened all the doors, until she found him. Chained to a golden cage, the male human had the same blonde hair and bright eyes as her, but his' were orange. She opened his prison with the key, and after so many time, they could finally touch, hug and feel each other. 

"I've got to...try to find Fefire.", Kanira chuckled before getting out. 

"-I'll keep an eye on these two."

Sat on one of the pink couches, she was trying to get him to talk. But the male human had apparently a limited vocabulary, and only knew his name: Dirk. While they were reuniting, I searched in the huge dressing for some warm clothes. 

"Listen, guys...once we get out of here, you'll have all the time you need to talk. But first, we'll need your help."

Once clad, they listened to me with all their attention. Even if Dirk couldn't talk, he seemed to understand perfectly. 

"Princess Royal Butt is in danger, and so are we. Till the Emperess isn't eliminated, we can still die. So that's what I want you to do..."

\---

I dodged another stab, jumping back and charging again. My forehead was drenched in sweat, hair sticking to it and troubling my vision. My legs were trembling, my hands shaking around the heavy trident. Condesce's attacks hadn't even weakened, still scaring me as much as in the beginning. She would kill me if I didn't try to return the situation, but how could I do so? The crowd was cheering and howling, in a horrendous tumult that was deafening me. The ground started to shake under my feet. If Kanira wouldn't show up very soon, she'll end me in one second. I panted, stamping back, trying to dodge her attack, but my reflexes have gotten slowlier: she scratched my cheek with her weapon. I shouted out of pain, and stumbled onto the ground. The golden points were only one inch away from my chest now. 

"You have lost."

Her words were a sentence to death. I tried to get away, but her foot pressed on my stomach, cutting off my breath. The crowd called for an execution, and she was surely going to comply.

"That's what you deserve for defying me."

She rose her arm, and traced a curl in the air with her trident. I close my eyes, and already felt the gold points piercing through my body, my blood leaking on the ground.  
But it didn't. Instead, I heard the noise of something breaking like glass.

"What...!?", she questioned. "What is going on?"

I opened an eye. The golden trident has been broken into pieces, scattered around me. Looking at the shocked crowd, I saw them all staring at something which I also glared at.  
Kanira, Shorty and the two humans. And Kanira had just thrown an ice beam from his hand to freeze her weapon, even under his troll form.  
I smiled.

"It's over, fishbreath.", he said threatingly. "Now release Fefire and nothing will happen."

She stayed motionless for a second, then bursted into laughing. 

"You really _think_ you've got a chance against my power? I can call an entire army to obey me, while you're just four."

"-'Just' four?", Roxy snickered. "You maybe forget that we're not any simple creatures."

She rose her hand, which gleamed of a blue light. The wind blew strongly, all of a sudden, and the golden trident re-formed in her hand.

"-Dirk, now!", she shouted, rushing towards the Emperess, who stayed stunned.

The male human nodded, and ran behind her. His hands shane bright pink, and lightning bolts darted out of his palms. While Mother was trying to defend herself, I got up in a jump, grabbing my own trident. Kanira prepared his ice hands, and Roryde clenched his fists.

"This is the end, bitch!", I exclamated.

She couldn't answer; Dirk's lightnings suddenly struck her, and she screamed of pain as he was tearing her soul apart. In an almost perfect sync, Roxy and I threw our triprongs on the Condesce, and Kanira blasted his icicles. The combined attacks provoked a blinding beam of light, followed by a powerful explosion. I felt myself pushed away by the strenght, and landed on the soil. When I could finally open back my eyes, there was nothing left of her Imperious Condescencion. Only her crown, that Roryde picked up slowly, as to show to the crowd that their Emperess was dead.  
One second after, the magic bubble broke; cracks started to run aross its surface, and water peered in, before a whole cascade started to flood the underwater land.

"Run!", I ordered. 

Kanira, Roxy, Dirk, Roryde and I tried to escape as fast as possible, among the scared crowd, holding hands not to get separated from each others. The water level was increasing fast, and the humans wouldn't breathe anymore as the oxygen seal has been broken. Waterbeasts and every kind of vehicle have been requisitioned by the bluebloods, leaving nothing for us to escape. That's where our dragon forms took part; we could transform again. Roryde on Kanira's back, Roxy and Dirk on mine, we swam up the outflow to escape the abyss. They held their breaths while we tried to ascend as quick as possible. Below us, the water had made the gigantic castle fall apart, taken away by the currents. The surface was way too high for Kanira and I to reach in time; but he suddenly held my hand and dragged me upwards, using his _Lusae_ ability to swim even faster in the ice-cold water. On my neck, the humans' hands were nervously shaking: they needed to breathe. But finally, after a dangerously fast escape, we reached the surface.  
While swimming to the coast of Losaz, I tried to make up my mind. Condensia, the Emperess, had died during a royal fight. Laws being laws, as I was her only heiress, it meant that I would get the throne...but why ruling over a kingdom that's only despair and poverty?

"Fefire?", Roxy asked.

"-Er...yes?", I replied in surprise.

"-Thank you. For all."

\---

For days, he has been absent. He said he was just going to catch a fish, then no more news of our dear Kanira. I have tried to look almost everywhere on Alternia, but he was nowhere to be found. So I just waited on the beach he had disappeared from, waiting for my dear grandson to come back. I have felt guilty, so guilty for leaving him in the danger of the ocean, but I couldn't swim to find him. The Wave Swirlers have tried as well, without any results. He was lost, in the middle of nowhere, maybe already dead of hunger or eaten by wild beasts...no, I shouldn't think about that! But every second that has passed since his disappearance was like another stab in the heart.

"Tinkie- _masan_! Tinkie- _masan_ , we're here!"

What? I rose my head, trying to see in the ocean's fog, calling my little baby's name. I kept fearing for him, calling him until he had landed, and ran to hug me.

"Kanira...where have you been?", I asked. "Everyone has been looking for you, you left us with such a worry!"

"-I'm sorry, g'ma...but I didn't wasted my time, look!"

With him were four people: a young troll, a pink Wave Swirler, and two unknown creatures.

"Listen...let's get back to the caves before it gets dark. I'll explain everything to everyone."

\---

"And them they took us on their backs, and we swam all the way to there.", Roryde ended.

Around the large fireplace, the whole family was listening to our adventure, told by the four of us (as Dirk couldn't talk well, he was just listening). I saw the worried faces of my clan, and couldn't help to feel guilty for what I've made them suffer. Even if I only have been carried away by evenements. It wasn't until a long gap that Rubeat finally spoke.

"So...in fact, you've killed the Emperess, and now the current one is among us tonight, right?" 

"-I don't think you can yet call me an Emperess.", Fefire replied. "What would I even reign over? The trolls have been so cruel to dragons, humans and certainly other species. I don't want people to think of me as the leader of this madness."

"-But someone has got to make the rules, and if it isn't you, who could it be?"

"-I can't tell...but I don't have the choice, afterall." 

"-We'll help you.", I said. "You said you wanted Alternia to become a welcoming place for dragons and humans? Then you can pass laws that forbids the huntings."

"-No one would listen."

"-Then dismantle the Sky Dwellers. These stupid pirates needs to disappear in your peaceful kingdom. Or, better: turn them into a dragons' protection fleet. Their talents could still be needed."

She looked at me gratefully, almost...lovingly. I tried to ignore that last feeling, as it wasn't the time.

"You know...maybe I should keep you as a counselor of sorts."

I giggled. That's when Rubeat decided it was time to go to sleep, as we were all tired from our adventures.  
Fefire had asked to sleep in my corner of the cave, and I lent her the most fluffy pelts I had.

"You know...", she started. "Maybe I really should give you a good place in my new kingdom."

"-Boring."

"-Not as a counselor, of course. Well, not only."

I looked at her interrogatively.

"What do you mean?"

She seemed quite embarassed, and played with some of her hair streaks, as if trying to find the right words.

"I've thought about what it means, to be an Emperess. And I remembered that, on your coronation day...you can't be alone."

"-Well, obvious, it has to be public."

"-Not that kind of alone...what I mean is, every Emperess must have a companion with her. To ensure her descendance."

She suddenly blushed dark pink.

"We've known each other for few, but...I know you'd be perfect for that role."

I rose an eyebrow, not understanding.

"A...companion? Like, in a...concupiscent relationship?"

She hesitated even more, before slightly nodding.

"And on anyone that you could have...you've chosen me!?"

She nodded again. That was incerdible, so unbelievable. She wanted me to become her prince, but what did I know about being one? Nothing.

"That can't...I can't..."

"-Listen, Kanira. You can agree of deny my proposition, that's as you want...but my choice is done. I could have chosen a noble, a rich troll to by my companion, but I didn't. Because after all that we've lived together, I have to reward you for your precious help. Without you, I'd be dead."

It took me about a minute to get all the information in my head, and think about an answer. 

"I...I can't. Of course, I enjoy your presence, and all the adventures we had...but it wouldn't be right. I'm a freak, and you're a royal. We just...can't. And it's not about what people think...it's about ourselves. I have been raised by dragons in a cave, while you're a princess. We would certainly get on each other's nerves, and even maybe break up quicker than we think..."

I held her hand in mine.

"But on the other hand, I don't want you to end with someone worse than me...and in fact, I enjoy your presence as well. You're a spoiled rotten, weak and crybaby princess...but that's the way I know you and like you. I don't want to disappoint you."

I took her in my arms, not exactly friendly only. 

"I will need some time to think about it, that's all. For now, we have to sleep. Good night, princess."

"-Good night, freak."

We shared the same nest this night. And surprisingly, this night has been the best sleep I'd ever had so far.

\---

Many things have changed since.  
Roxy and Dirk have departed to Gaierta. I've heard they had a baby together, and found another human tribe they have started travelling with, looking for a good place to settle down. The truth was, every human had specific powers they can use only in exceptional circumstances. They hope their life will be better from now on, and seeing their happiness, it ought to be.  
Roryde had sold the crown he had found back that day, plus some jewellery he had secretly stolen from the Lodag's castle. He and his family would never starve anymore; they have paid all their debts, and with the regular money income from his place as a Royal Hunter, his siblings wouldn't have to strive in pain and hunger anymore. He pays us a little visit from time to time, as the Princess' domain is now on solid ground.  
Fefire had accepted her title of the new ruler of Alternia. Her first decisons as the Princess have been to stop dragon hunt and release all of them. In the middle of both Prospit and Derse, a memorial to the dragons that have fallen for the freedom of their kind, has been built. Among the emblematic stone figures was Safire.  
The Sky Dwellers have become a service of dragon protection and information: they would teach people about dragons in a good way, so they wouldn't be scared anymore. Today, it was more common to see winged trolls shopping at the marketplace or dragon/troll relationships, though these were still rare. Tolerance has to start somewhere.  
And about I, well...let's just say I finaly agreed Fefire's proposal. Contrary to our expectations, life together was pleasant, and the meet of two different ways to be was less important than we both thought. We haven't planned any children for now, but I know she's gonna talk about it soon. She's just that sweet.  
But all of this, this new peacelike life wouldn't have been achieved without the blue dragon and his knight, and the movement they had started without wanting it. They never knew they would become such heroes, but today, they are for everyone. The little spark that ignited a country-wide barrel of gunpowder. Well, that's maybe a little exaggerated, but we have to face the truth. If they hadn't met, their descendance wouldn't have kept passing on the flame until all the black powder finally exploded. If they hadn't made that sacrifice, things would have gone a different way, and I would maybe even not have been born and helped Fefire in her rebellion.  
But it had happened. It all had happened thanks to the Sapphire Sky Rider and the Knight of Fire Breath.  
A gust of wind blew in my white hair as to approve.


End file.
